Courage
by Moe-the-Insomniac
Summary: It's Finally Completed. On it's way, Courage 2!
1. Whispers in the Sleep

Title: Courage  
  
Summary: Shelby and Scott's relationship goes from friends on the rocks to, well, you'll have to read and find out  
  
A/N: This is to make up for " Not Expected" .  
  
  
  
Chapter One- Whispers in the Sleep  
  
Gentle rays of sunlight peeked through the blinds into the room, dancing across Scott's eyelids. They fluttered open, darting around the room, the empty room, at least it looked that way. The second he pulled back the covers, standing against the carpet, Ezra appeared from the bathroom, making him jump. Ezra laughed, " for someone who had such a peaceful night, you sure are jumpy". Scott, still half asleep, ran his hands over his face, " peaceful night?". He nodded, " let me quote ' Shelby' and you didnt seem to be beating any pillows" Ezra smirked. Scott raised an eyebrow, " Shelby? I was talking about Shelby Merrick last night?". " And the night before that, and the night before that, and I think the night before that, you're going to have to ask Auggie about that one". Scott stood in complete shock, his eyes wider then ever. Why was he talking about the girl he had a hard time just being friends with? He doesnt remember any dreams about her, good or bad. Ezra watched him, and the strange reaction, " are you going to be okay?". The voice snapped him back to reality, " yeah, I'm fine". " Alright, I'm going to get some breakfest, see you later". After he left, Scott lightly hitting his head against his bunk. Shelby? Shelby Merrick? Why her? Why not Daisy, or even Juliette? Even though it was just a name, in a state of mind he had no control over what he did, and obviously what he said. He had only known the girl for a few months, she was already there when he arrived, and they slowly learned more about each other. Honestly, he knew more about her, there was a lot she things she didnt know about him. He liked it that way. But, why was he dreaming about her?  
  
  
  
~ I know this is short, but I dont know if anyone will like it. That's the whole point of reviewing!~ 


	2. Lost in the Woods

Courage  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Higher Ground (though I wish I owned Scott). To be honest, I know everything from episode summaries. It is still one hour and twenty-six minutes right now until I see my first episode.  
  
  
  
Chapter Two- Lost in the Woods  
  
  
  
Scott walked into the main cabin not long after Ezra left the dorm. He was going to try and avoid one person, Juliette. Some how since their break-up, she acted as though it never happened, the break up not the relationship. Auggie told him he was running out of female companions between Juliette and Shelby. He felt two arms around his waist. " Hey there" she whispered in his ear, with her seductive tone. Apparently, he was the only one who's had ever heard it. " Hi". Juliette's hands moved further down his chest, closer and closer to the waistband of jeans. Luckily, he gained enough control to stop her. " I can't do this". " Come on Scott" she moaned, turning his body by the waist, now he had no choice but to face her. Though Juliette and Scott never were that close physically, she had push for it, never knowing it was a bad idea. No Cliffhanger knew. " It's been long enough, you know you want too". Shelby walked up from behind Scott, holding her breakfast tray. " Come on Jewels, you should understand what ' no' means, you must hear it a lot". It was expected for Juliette to start, but never when it came to Scott, or Shelby being on the receiving end. " It's alright to be jealous Merrick" with that, she walked away. " I don't know how to thank you". " Me, jealous" she muttered, then smiled at him, " some people don't know when it's over". That was all, which made up their conversations. They did not hate each other, but there were no attempts for a better friendship, it couldn't be done within two sentences. Shelby Merrick and Scott Barringer were, inside, more then friends, but they couldn't admit it to themselves. Yet.  
  
Not long after lunch, Scott and Auggie were both in kitchen duty, wasting away the afternoon like they were use to. Scott was washing dishes, sleeves rolled up and soap suds all over his forearms, Auggie was trying what was passed onto him. " I thought you and Juliette broke up" he started the conversation as the wet dishes were being handed. " We did, well, I did" Scott sighed, " I told her thoroughly that we couldn't be.what we were. Unfortunately, she's not listening very well". " What were you?" he got a shrug in response, never wanting to know, " you didn't seem all that happy with her, I wouldn't blame you for ending it" he made a small pile of clean dishes on the counter next to him. " She wanted more then what was there". " What do you mean?". Scott looked over at him, which was enough. " Oh, okay, I got ya", he waited, " well, maybe if you talk to her about it, then she'd understand". " I can't even talk to my mom about it, my real mom, and she's a girl. If the whole point is to get Juliette to stay away, that isn't going to help". Scott threw down the dish rag, leaving the kitchen. He stepped out into the cool late afternoon air, the clouds blocked any warmth. Gray swirls moved across the sky in spontaneous patterns. Thousands of random thoughts ran through his mind while watching it. " There you are!". Scott sat up where Daisy was a foot in front of him. She looked relieved to see him, though had something on her mind. " I haven't been anywhere interesting". Usually Daisy would jump at sarcastic remarks, not this time, " Shelby is missing, and Peter wants us to try and find her before it gets too dark". It felt like something was ripped from outside, " what do you mean she's missing? I just saw her at lunch". " I know, she was talking with Kat, who mentioned something about her step dad and Sophie said she just ran off, that's all I know". Scott knew more about Shelby then she did of him. Talking about her step dad had to hurt, he had a similar conflict before coming to Horizon. It was that which got him running, away from Daisy and into the woods. Scott had no idea where he was going, he only knew that he was running, running to find Shelby. He thought someone would find her before he did, he didn't even think he was going the right way/ " Scott!" he heard the helpless cry not far behind him. Five feet back and ten or so to the left, there she was. Curled lying in the dead leaves, her blue and bloodshot eyes were easy to see against her pale skin and blonde hair that was pulled back. He ran over, dropping to his knees right next to her. Shelby did not look harmed, physically that is, though her stiff body was shivering. Scott gently lifted her body so she was sitting, " Shelby, what are you doing here?" he was almost crying himself. " Scott, Kat heard from Peter, my step dad's coming to visit, I-I" it was not possible for her to continue, the tears overwhelmed her. He pulled her closer, letting her cry onto his chest. He gently caressed her back, " I'm sorry Shelby" he repeated. Soon enough, her muscles eased and the tears stopped, Shelby was able to relax. Bending his neck, Scott saw that she had fallen asleep, but he did not want to move her. It was only another ten minutes until Peter and Ezra appeared. Scott looked at them, indicating that he was not going to disturb her. " Bring her back to the girls dorm". Carefully, he scooped Shelby into his arms, her head still on his shoulder, without waking. It was a long walk to the dorm, none of the girls were there when they arrived. After he laid her down onto her bed, Shelby would not let go of Scott's hand when he stood. " I love you Scott" she mumbled, taking him off guard.  
  
So, he was not the only one who talked in his sleep.  
  
  
  
- This one was longer then chapter one, but they will get longer. Sorry, I'm still trying to start off- 


	3. Glad You Were There

Courage-  
  
Summary: The next day, Scott helps Shelby escape the visit she fears Disclaimer: I cant even do my homework (I do this instead) so can I really bother with my own T.V show? I think we all know the answer  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Three- Glad You Were There  
  
  
  
Shelby awoke the next morning with a solid memory of the night before, falling asleep in Scott's arms. He found her crying in the woods, and instead of finding someone else, he comforted her, in ways no one else would. The matter was still a certain visit.  
  
  
  
Scott emerged from the bathroom, it was becoming a ritual, he and Ezra being the last ones left in the dorm every morning. " You really care about her, don't you?" he confronted him. Scott knew better then to ask who. " She was having a problem, you would have done the same". Ezra shrugged, " you were almost in tears man, why were you crying?". He knew damn well was Scott was, but he wanted to hear that something from him. " Because she's upset, and I didn't like seeing her that way" and why he wouldn't let go. " Thank-you" Ezra walked past him, leaving the room. Scott made sure he was gone, " and I know what it's like" he muttered to himself.  
  
  
  
She did not want to get out of bed, there was no point, she wasn't hungry and she didn't want to talk to anyone, except Scott. Approaching him in public wouldn't be right. They had to be alone, that was going to be hard. Sophie walked into the empty dorm, finding her hidden under the covers. " come on Shel, your mom and dad are here". " I will never say that man is my dad" she muttered into the pillow. Sophie groaned, " fine, your mom and step-dad are here, either way, you're getting out of bed, now! They want to see you" she pulled the covers off the bed. Shelby purposely took her time getting ready. There was no choice of getting out of this, but there was another option.  
  
  
  
Once rounding the curve towards the main lodge, Shelby knew she was done for, and she still couldn't tell who was who, until. " Shelby" the deep voice led to Scott emerging from the brush next to her. " Scott" she gasped, " I-I wanted to.". He took a gentle hold of her wrist, " no, don't worry about that now, you don't want to go through with this right?". Shelby nodded, " come with me". Scott led her past both dorms to where the path ended. He was kind enough to help her over fallen trees. " Do you mind telling me where we're going?". Before he answered, Shelby found herself standing on a stretched, flat rock overlooking the crystal blue water. The edge of Horizon was a blur to the far east. " Oh my.it's beautiful here, how did you know this was here?". He walked next to her, " experience, I don't think Peter knows about it". " He pretty much owns the land, I imagine he would". " It doesn't matter, this would be the last place they'd look, and if anyone comes this far, jump in the water, that or I'll take the blame". Shelby smiled, carefully sitting on the warm rock, " I'm desperate enough to get into rapids, anything is better". " Actually" he sat next to her, " if you stay near that tree branch right there, you'll be fine, the current isn't too strong". She looked at Scott, " what are you helping me?". He looked back at her, " because, I kind of know what you're going through". " You do?" Shelby knew that everyone at Horizon knew about her, it wasn't too hard to figure out. She never thought of Scott knowing, she then realized she knew nothing about the guy. Well, she knew about the drugs, but, everything happens for a reason. If he claimed to know the situation she was in, he must have had a good one. " It's funny, I can remember when you ran away when your mom and dad came to visit". He corrected Shelby as she did to Sophie, " step-mom and dad. Running away isn't the best thing to do, but it sure as hell beats what they want us to do. They don't know what it's like, unfortunately, we do". Shelby kept watching Scott, he was watching the water, " I'm sorry, I didn't know your parents were divorced". He shrugged, " looking back, I wish my mom won the custody battle. Who knew it was a good thing to separate siblings. She tilted her neck, " you're not an only child?". " My little sister got to live with my mom, she was safer there, I wouldn't have traded places with her if there was the chance". Shelby drew in a deep breath, " why are you here Scott? What happened?".  
  
- This one is short so I can use the next chapter entirely for what I have planned- 


	4. Dangerous Flashbacks

-Courage-  
  
Summary: This chapter takes place about a year before Scott was sent to Mt. Horizon. It's not something he is telling Shelby, it's just to show what he probably went through  
  
A/N: I know it's short, but there is only so much I can fit in one chapter title. The next one will be long, authors honor. Also, this chapter could be rated R for content.  
  
Disclaimer: Let's see.no, I still don't own anything. But in this chapter I own the character Shane Hilts, even though he's really a kid in my math class.  
  
Chapter Four- Dangerous Flashbacks  
  
" Hey buddy" Shane Hilts ran down the sidewalk after his friend. Scott continued walking, though turned around, " you played kind of rough today". He was right, if the previous practice had been a real game, Scott would have been in trouble, more then what he was already in. " Yeah, I know, I got a lot on my mind". The boys approached where they were to separate down different streets. " You have to shake it off, man, before you really loose it". " It's not that easy" Scott sighed, then turned left to go home. The one place he did not want to be.  
  
  
  
Dinner was never a silent time at his home, sometimes it was never a completed family task. But, Scott never saw themselves as a family, not in a long time, at least with his mom and sister he felt like a normal person. His dad was remarried after the divorce, one year and a handful of girlfriends later, to someone who could pass for Scott's older sister. In a fact, Elaine had been mistaken by strangers on the street and his friends, who never stopped commenting on her looks, not like he could disagree. Elaine had a certain pleasure, kept from her husband, that was only between herself, and her stepson. His dads pager went off before the mean was over, it was expected. " Damn, I should get to the office". Scott looked away as he gave a quick kiss to his wife. " See you later Scott, try and concentrate on your school work tonight". The silence after his dad left was terrifying, there was no one else there, only the. It was nothing more then a desire for Elaine, and nothing less then a living hell for Scott. " I'm going to.get some of my homework done" he left the room. Scott was tired, but telling Elaine that he was going to bed was the kiss of death. Homework was a stalling excuse. He laid in bed, with the lights on, too scared to blink. It had been almost an hour, she probably wasn't coming. Shane knew of one of these incidents involving Elaine, there were more, but, he needed help. All he got was a comment of how lucky he was. Scott reached out for the lamp switch when there was a knock, " Scott?". He feared the slightest movement, " yes?". The door opened, a pale hand slipped through, flipping the main switch of any light in the room. It was dark, except for very little moonlight streaming through the window. Scott's breath quickened, with every step she took, his heart nearly pounded through his chest. Elaine slipped under the covers next to him, he moved close to the edge. Her head nested into his shoulder, her arm wrapped around his waist. " You feel stressed, I'm sure you'll do better next time". He swallowed hard, " maybe if I wasn't being distracted". She giggled, slowly sitting up, Scott thought he'd be lucky enough for her to leave, no, instead she straddled his waist, lowering her head to his ear. " I don't see you trying to stop me" she whispered. Elaine's hands moved to the edge of his shirt and boxer shorts. The second her lips touched his, the guard and the will to fight back stopped. Scott didn't want it too, it was the only thing he had, and she always had a trick. 


	5. When There's a Will

_- Courage-  
  
Summary: After Shelby explains an important part of her life, Scott gets an idea to help her, again.  
  
A/N: I'm working on the spacing thing, I apologize again.  
  
Chapter Five- When There's a Will  
  
" Scott?" Shelby tried to snap him out of a daze he had slipped into after hearing the question. He blinked rapidly several times, " sorry". " It's okay" she moved closer to him, " you were thinking about it, weren't you? Your past?". Scott nodded, " yeah, it's hard not too sometimes, no matter what I see, or hear, there's always a reminder, even if it had nothing to do with what happened". " The nightmares are the worse" Shelby commented. " Yeah, the only time I sleep, it's all nightmares. I thought I'd be okay with Juliette, like a chance to recover, but.well, you saw" he couldn't look at her. " Yep, that's Juliette, worthless whore" she muttered. Though Shelby did not know anything for certain about Scott's past, she somehow sensed his pain, in that same moment, " oh my god" she gasped, " Scott, I can't believe-I'm sorry". He managed a smile, " not as bad as you were, you were probably lucky enough to have someone believe you". " I'm here, aren't I?". Scott watched the sad expression slowly overcome her, " I tried telling my mom, I was like you, I didn't want anything to happen to my sister". " Does she live with your dad?". Shelby shook her head, she could feel the tears stinging her eyes, " she lives with my mom and Walt, and the scariest feeling is lying awake at night, trying to block out the horrible thoughts of what he's doing to her" by the time she finished, tears were streaming down her face. Scott leaned closer, wrapping his arms around her once again. " I don't think your mom would let that happen". " She let it happen to me". He tighten the embrace, feeling his shoulder becoming damp, not close to caring. Shelby slowly backed away, but stayed close, he kept an arm around her. " The last time I saw her was her fifth birthday party, she was wearing a pink party dress and this huge smile on her face. That was it, but my mom writes letters saying that she has fits almost every day because she hates how life is, can only make you wonder". Scott looked down at her, " I got an idea" the thought went from his mind to his mouth. " What?". " Peter has a car, we have a license". Shelby looked up, " Peter hides the keys, and he also has our licenses". He tried from another angel, " okay, Hank has a car and a license. We can leave in the middle of the night and be back before anyone notices. We can say Hank brought us.I don't know, somewhere" the plan kept flowing on. She sat up, " we'd get caught". " Not if we plan it right. Isn't Jess worth it?". " How do you know her name?". " Does it matter?". Shelby desperately wanted to go, she wanted Scott's plan and she wanted to make sure her sister was alright. There was an urge, something stopping her. Just then, Scott closed the space between them, softly placing his lips upon hers. Her reaction was shocked, but allowed their tongues to enter one another mouth, exploring. Scott had never kissed a girl he truly liked, not since before Elaine, not even Juliette. " Okay" she breathed as they broke apart. " That wasn't suppose to convince you". She nodded, " I know". Scott smiled, " I'll talk to Hank when we get back". Shelby still had her eyes closed when he said, " as for right now, you might want to get in the water".  
  
The two were not caught and made it back to Horizon safely, wet, but safely. Shelby felt as though her heart was caught in her throat when seeing Sophie and Peter. Surprisingly, neither said anything aside from ' hi Shelby' when she thought she was done for. Once passing them, Shelby escaped behind the tool shed, not wanting to hide from anyone or anything. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Scott came from behind her. " Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you". " It's alright" she grinned, not being able to get that kiss out of her mind. " Hank said to meet him on the front porch at midnight exactly, he'll think of an excuse of why we left, if we need one". Shelby was determined, " if Jess is in trouble, I'm bringing her back with us". He nodded, " okay" he was not going to disagree with her, and it showed. They looked into each others eyes for a brief moment, then there was a small reminder of the afternoon on the rock, " I'll see you later".  
  
Later at night, Shelby sat up in her bed while the other girls got ready to go to sleep. Maybe it was obvious, the fact that she was still in jeans and a sweater. She waited until Juliette was in the bathroom, but Daisy spoke first. " Your mom and dad seemed upset that you weren't here, or there should I say". She didn't bother with the step-dad correction, " I'm going to see my sister tonight". The idea of breaking a rule never came to surprise Daisy, " oh, um, how do you plan to get there?". " Hank. Scott talked to him and he'll take us, we'd be back by tomorrow morning, maybe before anyone notices". Daisy continued writing in her journal, " you are so in for it". " I want Jess to be okay". " Not that" Daisy turned to make sure the bathroom door was still closed, " it's just, you'll be with Scott, and Juliette is here". Shelby eyed her, jerking her neck. Speak of the devil, she emerged from the bathroom, both girls froze. " If you know what's good for you, you'll stay away from my boyfriend". She held up her hands, hinting that she was to surrender to her tone, " hey, when you get a boyfriend, no problem, I'll stay away". From across the room, Kat turned off the lights before there was any bloodshed. Shelby heard Daisy snickering in the bed next to hers. 


	6. Continued from Chapter 5

Continued from Chapter Five. Sorry, I didn't realize that I forgot an entire page.  
  
  
  
Every shuffle, every cracking of a twig made her jump. Moving through the cool night air, Shelby realized, she had no clue where she was going. Wandering outside the main lodge, the lat thing she wanted was to give up and go back, if she could even find her way back. " Shelby" there was a whisper around the corner. " Scott?". Through the blackness, she saw a taller figure. " Come on" she felt the warmth of his hand, sending a chill down her spine. The headlights from Hank's pick-up truck faced the other direction to avoid getting caught. Scott allowed Shelby to climb in first, he followed. Closing the door quietly, the pick-up moved very slowly off the gravel driveway, gaining speed once pulling onto the road. " So what's the alibi for where we were?" she asked, silence as not helping when it came to relaxing. " Never mind that" Hank ignored, " what's your plan when we get there?". Shelby exhaled a deep breath, " Walt" she began, " only would go after her when my mom was asleep. Jess moved into my room, she's right next to them but it's easy access through the window. Scott sensed the lack of balance in her voice. He placed his hand on her knee, " we can get her out of there, and we will". " How old is she?" Hank asked, wondering if they were to return with an extra person if she could pass for a student. " Seven" obviously, she couldn't. " What do you expect to tell Peter when there's a seven-year-old around with you?". She hesitated with her remark, " the truth". 


	7. There's a Way Chapter Six

Courage  
  
Summary: Shelby and Scott takes his plan into action, with some unexpected outcomes. Disclaimer: Does anybody really think I own anyone? A/N: I've decided, this is the first part, the whole Courage. There will be a sequel, hopefully not one that really, really sucks.  
  
  
  
Chapter Six- There's a Way  
  
The oak house blended with the others on the block. Hank parked in the street, Shelby gazed at the walls that held her past. " It's okay, we can go back" Scott told her after seeing her reaction to their arrival. She shook her head, " no, there's no point, as long as I'm alive, it'll always be there". Hank sat very still in the car, watching them approach the driveway slowly. " Her room is right next to my mom and Walt's" she told Scott, which triggered his mind why a girl would be moved into a room next to someone like Walt. They had to be quiet, she made her decision that she was not leaving this house without her sister. To their luck, the window was open when rounding to the other side. It wasn't much, but enough for Shelby to get it open more. " Can you help?" she sounded like she was begging when Scott was willing. He helped Shelby to get her upper body aligned with the opening in the window. Using one hand, she gently pushed against the glass, it creaked, both Scott and Shelby froze. Nothing. The opening was enough for her to get through, leaving Scott outside, guessing what was happening by what he heard. She slid onto her fly, moving her hands at first to support her weight until she was entirely inside. The moonlight was not enough to see where things were in the room, Shelby couldn't even remember how her own room use to be. " Jess?" she whispered, moving to a standing position. Every step was taken with extreme care, her knee eventually hit the end of a bed board, the covers were below her, Shelby felt a little foot. " Jess, wake up". She felt a tug, then screams, coming from the small girl screaming and kicking. " No Jess, it's me, it's Shelby" Shelby felt around in the dark, there was a loud movement in the next room. She grabbed her sisters screaming body and dashed for the window. An overhead light came on above them, Shelby automatically recognized Walt's voice, it was more clear then her own. She practically threw the little girl into Scott's arms before taking a dive outside. " Run!". Scott and Shelby bolted across the lawn, lights turned on all over the house as they ran. Hank started the engine. " Did anyone realize this is kidnapping, it's illegal!" he yelled when Shelby got in, taking Jess. " You took us off school grounds, that's illegal". The pick-up truck made a sharp turn and drove from sight. Jess hung on to her sister, whom was shaking. " I'm sorry I didn't get to you sooner". There was a brief moment of recovering. " Uh guys, it looks like we got some company" Hank announced. Scott looked out the back window at the head lights raging towards them. " Walt?". " I think so" he answered her, facing forward. No one said anything for a minute. " Someone want to come up with an idea?" Hank suggested. " Like what? This is the first car chase for all of us". Shelby knew to avoid scaring Jess even more, she had to stay calm, but she knew what was capable of happening with her step-dad and that was something she could not avoid. " Why don't you try going faster?". " No way, I don't want to be responsible for killing you!". " We wont be any better if he catches us!" she couldn't control her screaming. Scott placed a hand on her arm. In one heartbeat, glass shattered, there were three screams, and the car swerved against the pavement. Hank fell against the steering wheel, unconscious, the car was still in motion, gaining speed rapidly. " Get down!" Scott yelled over Jess screaming. Shelby slid onto the floor, holding her. He leaned over the seat trying to get the car under control. Hank had been shot, his foot was still on the accelerator. The last thing Shelby felt, was the weight being lifted from beneath her.  
  
  
  
Bright lighting blurred any possible vision. The feeling below her neckline was sore and extremely painful. Her vision slowly became more clear. " Shelby? Shelby, can you hear me?" the voice, it was so familiar, from so long ago, but could never be forgotten. She found the strength to speak, " mom?". The picture in her mind was of a kind, warm, loving women. Nothing like the women standing over her, not even close. It was her mom, her disappointed and helpless mother, who no longer wanted to accept her daughter, even when lying in a hospital bed. " Well, you really messed things up this time". Those, thankfully, were the only words that got across. A familiar face, a sight for sore eyes, walked into the room. Peter. He knew what she did, but wasn't mad. He looked at her mom, a signal for a moment alone with Shelby. " How are you feeling kid?". " Worse now, I'm in trouble, aren't I?" her voice was raspy. Peter took a deep breath, " I don't know how to classify what you did, but I wouldn't consider it a bad thing". " Where are.?". He quickly answered her, " Hank is in the I.C.U, Scott's down the hall and you sister is in the children's ward" he already knew her next question, " Hank is going to be fine, Scott's a little scratched up, but it takes a lot to get that kid, you and Jess we're lucky to be where you were". " This isn't how it was suppose to happen, I never meant to hurt anyone". Peter nodded, " I know sweetheart, and the police know that as well, which is why Walt is being arrested and Jess will be living with your dad". " Really?" she gasped. " If you didn't help her out of there, she may have never told anyone what was happening to her". Shelby didn't know how to feel, saving the life of one person while risking the lives of two others. Though everyone was going to recover, there was still that chance that they all could have died, because she wanted to save a life. But, that is not what happened, Jess was safe.  
  
  
  
~ I think I got something to work with the spacing, I'm working on it~ 


	8. I Can't Loose You Chapter Seven

Courage-  
  
Summary: After the accident, Shelby gets some news she really didn't want. And it doesn't have to do with Jess  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Seven- I Can't Loose You  
  
  
  
Walking felt like a new experience to Shelby, it was more of a challenge to do something most people take for granted. It could have been worse, that is what she had to remember. Entering Scott's room, not far from hers, she saw the scraps on his face and exposed arms of his t-shirt. Like her, he was not wearing a hospital gown, just the torn and dirty close from the night before. " Now I know why Peter has your license" he looked over when hearing her voice. Smiling, " he has yours too". As she walked closer, he swung his legs over the side of the bed, " how's Jess?". Shelby was relieved because of her positive answer, " fine, she's sleeping so I haven't talked to her, but besides a few bruises" Shelby grinned, " she's fine". " That's great". " How's Hank?". Scott shook his head, " but, apparently, he's going to be fine. His dad is on his way". She looked away, her smile slightly decreasing, " my mom had her nice choice of words earlier". " You saw your mom?". Shelby nodded, " the only positive thing is that Jesse will be safe and we get to go back to Horizon". Scott didn't respond, he couldn't. He knew at that time there was a chance he may not go back. But, he couldn't tell her, not now.  
  
  
  
The room was surrounded by pale, teal walls decorated with any animals found in a farmyard. A small bed was placed in the center, with an even smaller body resting in it. Bright green eyes watched Shelby from the second she walked in, they were always on guard. She closed the distance very slowly, not wanting to scare her. Jess was huddled under the blanket, all except her head and strands of brown hair. " Am I in trouble?" she softly whispered, like it was a secret. Shelby whispered in return, " no, why would you be?". Jess used her regular tone, " Walt always told me I did bad things, and I caused the accident". Shelby kneeled at her bedside, " never, listen to that man, and he was the one who caused the accident, not you". Jess kept her eyes on her older sister, occasionally looking away, " I don't understand what he did, it hurt and he said it was because I was bad, and I never said anything". Shelby stopped her before they were both in tears, " you are too young to understand what happened" she lightly pecked her hand, " but I can guarantee, it will never happen to you again". " Can I go sleep now?" that was her only response.  
  
  
  
When Shelby left the children's ward, she was greeted by Peter before getting to Scott's room. His smile was faint, but meaningful. " How's Jess doing?". " Entirely clueless, but, overall, she's going to be fine, my dad is good with her and maybe it's a good thing that she doesn't really know. Sorry Peter, looks like I'll be the only Merrick at Horizon". Peter laughed, " yeah, speaking of dads, Mister Barringer is here". " Scott's dad?". " Yep, and he's dying to meet you". Shelby raised an eyebrow, " dying like ' I really want to meet this girl' or dying like ' I'm going to kill this girl for hurting me son'?". Peter extended his arm in the direction of Scott's room, " have to find out for yourself".  
  
Shelby clutched the wall rim separating her view from them. They were talking, about nothing in particular. There was the chance of turning back, that ended when a tall man with dark hair appeared in front of her, scaring her,. " My apologizes, you must be Shelby Merrick". She couldn't help giggling, nervous, " that's me, Shelby.Merrick" her last name was more of an addition. " Martin Barringer, also known as Scott's dad". Speaking of which, Scott stood next to them. " Yup, that fits you, Scott's dad". Martin looked at his son, who was giving him the expression indicating that he wanted to be alone with her. " Well, I'll leave you two alone, and, go get some coffee with Peter". When he left, Scott's expression dropped, and he walked back to the bed. Shelby followed, " what's wrong?". " Well" he hesitated, " Elaine left my dad". Her face sparked, " that's great, I mean.". Scott disagreed, " it's not. He thinks that there's more of a secure lifestyle at home now." he trailed off, not like he could say anymore. What was happening? Who was Scott Barringer? Shelby didn't know him, but she knew she was falling in love with him, very, very fast. It couldn't be possible, he couldn't leave Horizon, not now, no. Her jaw was trembling and the support left her knees. " No" emotions muffled her voice. Scott moved towards her, holding her tighter then ever. At first, Shelby couldn't move her head from his shoulder, but, eventually wrapped her arms his neck, choking and crying onto his shirt. " I don't want to go" he softly told her. Shelby cried, harder now. His hands moved against her back. There were no words, they didn't need them. Scott brought one hand to the back of her neck, caressing it. Gently kissing the top of her head. The words were barely audible, " I love you".  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: in an eerie voice...stay tuned for chapter eight coming.as soon as I finish writing it. Makes sense, I guess. Anyways, the next chapter is the last for this segment. Then there's the sequel! 


	9. Cinderella Chapter Eight

Courage-  
  
Summary: It's two weeks until Shelby graduates from Horizon, alone? A/N: This is the last chapter for Courage. I'll post Courage 2 (I'm so original with titles) this week.  
  
  
  
Chapter Eight- Cinderella (the title will make more sense at the end of the chapter)  
  
  
  
Two months, it had been two months since what the rest of the Cliffhangers called ' night of the living hell', and so much changed. Hank recovered three weeks prior, with no regrets or grudges from that night. Jess Merrick moved in with her dad less then a week after her hospital release, with her step-dad behind bars, and it did help her sister sleep better at night. Shelby was graduating at the end of the month, feeling entirely alone. While Daisy, her best friend, was still at her side when a certain boyfriend wasn't, but she knew it couldn't be his fault. Scott left Horizon one month ago. While a long distance relationship was working, there was always something missing.  
  
  
  
  
  
Shelby sat curled on her bed, watching the girls move swiftly around her. Every girl was eager except her. The previous morning, Peter announced they would hold a ' morp', also known as a prom, the following weekend before graduation. It was the first and last thing on Shelby's mind. " Hey girl, I got something for you" Daisy pilled away, sitting on the edge of the bed, " I've been meaning to give this to you". Reaching under the bed next to Shelby's, her own bed, her hands retrieved a black garment bag. Laying it across the mattress, Shelby changed her position, indicating she was interested. Daisy pulled down the zipper revealing a purple satin dress, lined with black stitching. " Consider it a birthday present". Shelby returned to her grief, " my birthday is in October". " Call it what you want, it's for you. We've all been this clan for so long, you cant bail on prom, no one bails on prom". Juliette stood above them, " Scott did". She knew how Shelby was since Scott left, giving up on him herself after the accident. She liked using her extreme suffering against her. Daisy ignored the comment, something she rarely did, " just because he's not here doesn't mean you have to miss out, Scott would want you too". She buried her face, " we're talking about him like he's dead". Shelby looked at her best friend, " have you ever felt alone? Even though people were there, but that someone who seemed to encourage you, and it almost felt like they loved you". Daisy pulled the crying girl into an embrace, " he does love you" she told her, " he's far away and if he's there and still cares about you like he does, then you have something to look forward too after graduation". Shelby pulled away. " I could have sworn I heard you two talking about an apartment together". Shelby looked away, " it still doesn't feel right". Daisy rolled her eyes, " maybe you thought I was asking you to go to prom, but I'm not, I'm telling you that you are going". " You're starting to sound like Sophie". Daisy shrugged in a joking matter, " Peter's personality didn't fit me". Shelby laughed, giving in, " fine, I'll go".  
  
And she regretted her decision not long into the prom night. She wore the dress, did her hair and make-up for nothing. With her negative attitude, it was pointless. Sure, Auggie, Ezra, and even Hank offered dances, but they had their own dates, and their own girlfriends, she felt like nothing. The hours passed slowly. Sophie took the microphone during the last minutes of their senior prom. " Alright guys, just so you can join myself and Peter in crying out eyes out, the last dance of the night is for all of you out there who really found someone special". If she knew, she wouldn't have said that. The lights were dim, the music was slow and soft. Shelby could feel the pain. Peter approached her from across the room, " come on Shell, if there is one student I'd never forget, without a doubt, it's you". Shelby grinned, " I appreciate it Peter, but, you found Sophie". She left, trying her best to avoid the couples dancing in each others arms. The rain outside soaked the satin to her skin, but she didn't feel it. By the time she walked to the ever famous tool shed, her dress was soaked, hair ruined, and make-up smeared down her cheeks, blending with the raindrops and tears. Mud oozed around her feet, she kicked off her shoes, tossing them to the side. " Scott" she cried, knowing she was being pathetic, " where are you?". " Right here" the deep voice defiantly caught her attention. She was facing him in a second. There he was, getting soaked, staring at him through the darkness at her, holding one of her muddy sandals. " How can you be Cinderella without your slipper?". Shelby's grin was twitching, " because you're here, and I cant be Cinderella without the prince" she cried. He shrugged, " it's not even midnight, so we're of" Scott paused, staring at her, " my dad preached how much better my life would be at home, I wanted to believe. The second walking the front door, I realized it wasn't, because you weren't there". She practically flew into her arms, knocking them both off balance into the mud. It didn't matter, he was there, he was right there. She had her head on his chest, listening to him breathe, listening to every beat of his heart.  
  
  
  
The End 


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